how can we decided to go to wellesley? >> in between would happen we really were refugees. my parents we lived in lots the different houses in denver. when i go there now i love to give it to her of the various places we lived in. people were very nice. they brought present for us and what happened was that there was a girls school in denver where my father insisted that i i g, and i went on scholarship. there were only 16 girls in our graduating class. and what happened was i couldn't go to college and less i got a scholarship. and i chose wellesley first of all i'd seen wellesley and it appealed to me tremendously but my english teacher and my latin teacher had gone to wellesley and they loved it. and so the last weekend was kind of a choice between stanford and wellesley, and i'm very glad that i chose wellesley because my whole life would have been

different. >> life now to washington national cathedral where president biden is expected to deliver the eulogy for former secretary of state madeleine albright who died last month at the age of 84. bill and hillary clinton will speak at the service secretary albright was appointed by former president clinton is is the t female secretary of state in 1997. live coverage here on c-span2. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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>> with faith in jesus christ we received the cross of our sister madeline allright . we pray with confidence togod the giver of life .

to raise her to perfection in the company of the saints. deliver your service lord christ. set free from every bond. she may rest with all your saints where with the father and the holy spirit you live and rain one god for ever and ever. amen. >> let us also pray for all the world. that they may pass their charon god and know the consolation of his love. almighty god, look with pity up on the sorrows of your servants for whom we pray. remember them lord. nourish them with patience. comfort them with a senseof

your business . lift up your countenance upon them and give them peace through jesus christ our lord . amen. >>.

[choir singing]

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[church bellringing] >>. [church bell ringing]

>> i am resurrection as i am life says the lord. whoever has faith in me shall have life even though she died and everyone who has

committed herself to me it's saved, shall not die forever. as for me i know that mine were lived and the last shall stand upon the earth. after my awakening she will raise me up and in my body i shall see god. i myself shall see and my eyes to hold him who is my friend. for nine of us has life in herself and none becomes her own master whenshe dies . for if we have life we are alive in the lord and if we die we die in the lord. so then whether we live or die, we are the lord's possession.

happy from now on are those who die in the lord. for they are lifted from their labors.

>> good morning. my name is randy holleran and i'm the dean of national washington cathedral and on behalf of marianne buddy, and festival bishop of the diocese of washington and the entire cathedral community welcome. welcome to this house of prayer for all people . it is an honor to host this service for madeleine albright. two and and alice and the entire albright family our hearts are with you and for all those across our country and around the world who grieve the loss of this great american. secretary albright was a wonderful friend to this cathedral. twice over she served as a member of the chapter, the cathedral's governingboard . she was a parent and grandparents of students in

the schools here on the close . and she was loved and admired all who knew her. we say goodbye today to a remarkable human being. marilyn was a leader, mentor, trailblazer, reconciler and patriot. she was a person of deep faith who always held firm to the highest ideals of her faith and her country. she has died but she has not been lost. madeleine lives now in god and she leaves all of us a legacy that will serve as a blessing for many, many years to come. having fought the good fight and kept the faith , grant her we beseech the deer god the crown of life that fade not away. amen.

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>>. [ choir singing "ode to joy"]

>>. [choir singing "ode to joy"]

>> freedom indoors against all odds in the face of every aggressor. there are always those who will fight for that freedom. and in the 20th and 21st century, freedom had no greater champion than madeleine albright. and alice, katie, your mom was a force. a force for nature. her goodness and grace, her humanity and intellect, she turned the tide of history. david, daniel, jack, jake,

ben and ellie, you're too young to remember this but when the iron curtain fell, the berlin wall came down, our world faced one of those inflection points. once in a generation moment of upheaval but opportunity as well. people in nations around the world were deciding the future you wanted to make for themselves. and your grandmother, your grandmother as madame ambassador was the first female secretary of state in american history made sure those nations and those people knew exactly where the united states of america stood. and what we stood for. you know, all through it her beloved sister kathy and her brother john can attest she

never forgot where she came from or who she was. president obama, president secretary clinton, vice president al gore, members of congress, cabinet members past and present. today we honor a truly proud american who made all of us router to be americans. i also want to welcome the distinguished guest and dignitaries who travel from around the world to celebrate the daughter of the czech republic who knew what it meant to endure war and flee persecution. with her friend when he died i remember when madeleine eulogized him she used these words and iquote .

she cast light into places of deepest darkness and reminded us constantly of our obligations to one another. these words, these words apply equallyto madeleine . when i got word that madeleine pass i was in midair on my way to europe to meet with our nato allies in brussels to help try to continue to keep the strong alliances together. our organization and international response to russia's beautiful brutal and unjustifiable war against ukraine . it was not lost on me that madeleine was a big part of the reason nato was still strong and galvanized as it is today. and a few days later, i

traveled to poland and spoke about all that was at stake for our world and for democracy and freedom. it was under assault from forces of autocracy and oppression . many are tired of hearing me say i think we're at another inflection point in world history where there is literally a severe confrontation between autocrats and democratic nations. president clinton, it was not lost on me that you spoke of the same warsaw castle that i was about to speak at 25 years earlier. and in my case it was easy. the interior of the castle, that beautiful car courtyard holds about five, 600 people. mostly poles and ukrainians were present wheni spoke .

and i'm sure many in the audience spoke english though likely not their first language. but when i mentioned the name of madeleine all right, there was a deafening cheer. they all stopped everything. they started to cheer. it was spontaneous. it was real. for her name is still synonymous with america as a force for good in the world. madeleine never minced words or wasted time when she saw something that needed fixing. someone who needed helping. she just got to work and as a member of the senate foreign

relations committee from the time i was a kid, those were the good olddays . i was the chairman or ranking member for a good part of that time. and in the 90s-tests that madeleine with the significant help of the president of the united states kept the committeebusy . our work to halt genocide in the balkans, support new democracies in eastern and central europe, to develop colombia and all those undertakings. madeleine was an incomparable ally and advisor beyond the president to me and to others in the committee. she always had a knack for explaining to the american people why it mattered to

them that people everywhere in the world were struggling to breathe free. and madeleine didn't stop. when she left government. for decades she was on nexus for the foreign policy committee. always and i mean always on top of the latest developments. always speaking out for democracy and always the first to sound the alarm about fascism. presidents and leaders around the world continued to solicit her advice including me. when i asked her last year to chair the defense policyboard , she built businesses. she pumped out new york times bestsellers. were both highly prescient and deeply salient and

constantly bestsellers. i think i've read them all. you know, she meant toward generations of rising foreign policy experts. to quote foreign policy establishment . you know, the thing that i noted that was deliberate and remarkable about her not unlike secretary clinton was that she made sure the young women knew they belonged at every single table having to do with national security without exception. today, across our government and around the world madeleine's protcgcs are legion. many are here today, each carrying with them a spark lit by her passion and brilliance.

i think part of the reason why madeleine was such a successful diplomat was that she understood something i've always believed and my boss president obama when i was vice president used the kidney because i'm ruby so often. because i believe she understood something i've always believed, that all politics especially national politics is personal and ultimately is personal. she could go to to toe with the toughest dictators, then turn around and literally teach a fellow ambassador how to do the macarena on the floor of the un security council. you all think i'm kidding. i'm not getting. she thought it was too difficult to teach me how to dance the . she was right.

no matter where she was she understood people. she cared about people. and all of that was grounded in an education game by watching her father joseph cornwall and her mentors as well. she learned diplomacy at the dinner table and throughout her life nothing mattered to madeleine more than the family. nothing. madeleine had the same rules i do and others you do. no matter what's happening in my day as president obama can tell you or who i'm meeting with one of my children calls , i take the call. she was the same way. and, alice, katie, your grandchildren. each of you is literally attribute to her enormous

capacity to love. i know it's hard but i promise you she's always with you in your mind, in your heart and part of your soul. and i promise you, you're going to have a tough decision when you ask yourself whatwould you want me to do ? remember i said it. it's going to happen. and kathy and john, the connection the three of you maintain through your lives was always an anchor for madeleine. through all the ups and downs . what's the gift. what a gift. what a family. you know, from that first trans-atlantic crossing on the ss america to landing on that big blue and white playing and emblazoned with

the words united states of america, madeleine understood her story was america's story . her story was america's story . she'd love to speak about america as the indispensable nation to her, the phrase was never a statement of arrogance. it was about gratitude. for all this country made it possible for her was a testament to her belief and the endless possibilities that only america could help unlock around the world and her true understanding of what america and its power could achieve when it's united with and motivated by enduring american values.

that's why there was nothing she loved more than swearing in new citizens to this great nation of ours. she would like, reminding them that she once stood where they stood. having gained the blessings of liberty she wanted nothing more than to share them around the globe. to madeleine from my perspective, there was no higher mission. no greater honor than to serve this great experiment in freedom known as the united states of america. may her memory continue to be a blessing to our mission. and may we remember her words and deeds. may she always be a light to all those in the darkest

places. a reminder of our obligation to one another. may god bless madeleine all right.

♪ ♪ and, alice, katie.♪ ♪ to all the spouses and ♪ ♪ grandchildren.♪ ♪ sister kathy and brother ♪ ♪ john.♪ ♪ thank you for gathering ♪

♪ here with me the chance to ♪ ♪ say a few words.♪ ♪ mister president, ♪ ♪ president and mrs. obama, ♪ ♪ vice president gore.♪ ♪ all the members of ♪ ♪ congress and the ♪ ♪ diplomatic corps and ♪ ♪ cabinets past and present ♪ ♪ and especially to all of ♪ ♪ you who had the distinct ♪ ♪ honor and i will the joy ♪ ♪ of working with madeleine ♪ ♪ all right.♪ ♪ our last conversation was ♪ ♪ two weeks before she ♪ ♪ passed away.♪ ♪ and we always spent the ♪ ♪ first few minutes telling ♪ ♪ stories that we swore were ♪ ♪ true.♪ ♪ and joking with each other ♪ ♪ and then i said tell me ♪

♪ how you're feeling.♪ ♪ she said look, i got a ♪ ♪ little problem your got a ♪ ♪ perfectly good doctor, i'm ♪ ♪ doing what he tells me to ♪ ♪ do so i'm getting good ♪ ♪ care and whatever happens ♪ ♪ will be the best outcome i ♪ ♪ can get.♪ ♪ let's not waste any time ♪ ♪ on that.♪ ♪ the only thing that ♪ ♪ matters is what kind of ♪ ♪ world were going to leave ♪ ♪ to ourgrandchildren .♪ ♪ i will never forget that ♪ ♪ conversation as long as i♪ ♪ live .♪ ♪ it was so perfectly ♪ ♪ madeleine.♪ ♪ yes, i'd like to list to ♪ ♪ be 90, 95, 100 but the ♪ ♪ thing that matters is ♪ ♪ what's going to happen to ♪ ♪ our grandchildren's ♪ ♪ generation?♪ ♪ are we going to lose our ♪ ♪ democracy?♪ ♪ have we decided after all ♪ ♪ that all that matters are ♪ ♪ our differences in this ♪ ♪ fleeting life instead of ♪ ♪ what we have incommon ?♪ ♪ and so madeleine made a ♪ ♪ decision with her last ♪

♪ breath she would go out ♪ ♪ with her boots on.♪ ♪ in this case, supporting ♪ ♪ president biden and all ♪ ♪ america's efforts to help ♪ ♪ ukraine.♪ ♪ what kind of world are we ♪ ♪ going to leave to our ♪ ♪ grandchildren?♪ ♪ that question is kind of ♪ ♪ up in the air.♪ ♪ but not because of ♪ ♪ madeleine albright.♪ ♪ i was honored to be part ♪ ♪ of her life for more than ♪ ♪ 30years .♪ ♪ i was thrilled when ♪ ♪ chelsea got to meet her ♪ ♪ and what an influence she ♪ ♪ had on chelsea and lots of ♪ ♪ other women.♪ ♪ i was amazed by the ♪ ♪ friendships she formed ♪ ♪ with hillary andgrateful ♪ ♪ for that .♪ ♪ but i met her a long time ♪ ♪ ago.♪

♪ she was working in a new ♪ ♪ caucus campaign and i'm a ♪ ♪ graduate of georgetown ♪ ♪ where she taught so i knew ♪ ♪ her by reputation and i ♪ ♪ knew she'd been voted best ♪ ♪ teacher by her students ♪ ♪ twice but when i finally ♪ ♪ met her i realized that ♪ ♪ she was even better than♪ ♪ advertise .♪ ♪ she was smart, ♪ ♪ tough-minded, talented.♪ ♪ she had a great sense of ♪ ♪ humor and hope your grasp ♪ ♪ of the closedpostwar world ♪ ♪ we were moving into .♪ ♪ so when i was elected i ♪ ♪ asked madeleine to manage ♪ ♪ the transition for the ♪ ♪ national security council.♪ ♪ which wound up filled with ♪ ♪ incredibly gifted balanced ♪ ♪ people and we hadmore ♪ ♪ problems than we could say ♪

♪ grace over and we needed ♪ ♪ every one of them .♪ ♪ as i watched her more, i ♪ ♪ decided to ask her to be ♪ ♪ ambassador to the united ♪ ♪ nations because her life ♪ ♪ story was about to become ♪ ♪ the story of the last part ♪ ♪ of the 20thcentury and ♪ ♪ much of the world .♪ ♪ and because she could be ♪ ♪ the voice of america.♪ ♪ and after four years in ♪ ♪ which she continued to ♪ ♪ defy expectations and ♪ ♪ sometimes raise eyebrows, ♪ ♪ i have to say that.♪ ♪ she would never forgive me ♪ ♪ if ididn't mention this .♪ ♪ when the cubans shot down ♪ ♪ the rescue planes in ♪ ♪ violation of international ♪ ♪ law, they had a ♪ ♪ conversation which ♪ ♪ madeleine got a copy of on ♪

♪ their radio.♪ ♪ about how they had shown ♪ ♪ their cojones by shooting ♪ ♪ down a couple of planes ♪ ♪ that were dropping ♪ ♪ pro-democracy leaflets in cuba it was illegal and he says that's notcojones, that's cowardice . and all of a sudden it was on the lips of everybody in south florida. people said it's so unladylike. and i called her and said i'm just jealous. it's the best line delivered

by anybody in this administration since i'vebeen here . and keep on going. it was great. we spent a happy day together . two years ago and because of oh four years after the conflict there, freed by the genuine threat of genocide we walked hand-in-hand on a sunny, sunny june day. down the street there were about quarter of 1 million people there. a lotof people in a small country like that . and we came to the subject of our scrolls which was a beautiful bust of madeleine in a shrug surrounded by tall

spans that was their tribute to her for being there for them. we see that legacy honored. all the things she did with kosovo, with bosnia. we see it in so many ways. >> .. we have enough people together to do what is now being done in a different way to try to save ukraine. from the day she entered until

the day she left, she tried to stick up for people who are left out or left behind, and in spite of all the imperfections and we all know them, i'm very grateful of the piece that befell in bosnia now for 26 years. you see a legacy auditor by thee president and the vice president of columbia where madeleine believe being a good neighbor was dealing with a country that was oldest country in south america which a third of the land was under control than other narco traffickers, and just a few years later the 50th anniversary of the development bank was held in medellin, formally the drug

capital of the world that you believe in that. she believed in integrity that all former republics of the soviet union, and i believe the president of georgia who is here today, and i'm very grateful for that. i'm grateful that she was an aggressive voice, supporting vice president gore when we were trying to sound the alarm on climate change. and we didn't always win, in case you didn't notice. for example, when i flew to japan to get the kyoto accord, the first international group on climate change, the senate voted against it 98 to nothing before we got off the airplane home. but madeline thought it was right thing to do and she kept banging the drum.

and i think time has proved her right. the secretary of states job, as i have came to learn first income is a traveling job. i was fortunate to travel many miles with her. when i first heard that she passed away, the very first thing i i did, i was home in w york, was to go into the kitchen and look at these two beautiful paintings from haiti that madeleine gave hillary and me, because she knew how much we care about what happened there. and they are just -- there are just so many things that i remember, i remember that in addition to columbia she was always interested in argentina not only because they were a very strong ally of the united states, but because when it went on the state visit there and she

went with me, i went into come with hillary, we went into a dance hall in downtown buenos aires, and there was madeleine dancing amine tango. most of us were looking for lessons. she was looking for the dance floor. period she was always about half a step ahead on one of these things. mattered a lot. now, i am saying this all because she was a really fully developed woman. i mean, her life was sort of a microcosm of the late 20th century in europe and the united states. her family was run out of her home, first by hitler and then by stalin. she came to america still not knowing the true story of her

family and what they done to survive. after she was secretary of state she finally learned that she was actually raised jewish and at three of her four grandchildren, grandparents died in the holocaust. but some are in the middle of all that we gave a distinguished czech diplomat and a sound a chance to come to america, as refugees. and their daughter bound up becoming ambassador to the u.n. and secretary secreta. and doing lots of other good things. she made us laugh. she made us cry here are some of she made mad. but she had a full, hopeful life

because she knew what she believed in. she knew what she was four. she knew what she was against. and she wanted other people -- what she was four. and then to talk about it instead of kill each other over it. that was basically her simple political philosophy. today we see in ukraine all too tragically what madeleine always knew, that the advance of freedom is neither inevitable nor permit it, and that in politics where the lure of power is strong and the temptation to abuse it is often irresistible,, there are no permanent victories or defeats. her book on fascism was one of many she wrote. i personally loved the one she

wrote comparing the relationship of religion and politics in different countries. she just was curious. i want you to remember that. she was a great secretary of state. she did 20 of the things could mention, but the most important thing she did is god gave her a fine mind, a wealth of experience for anybody who's willing to pay attention to it, and she made the most of it not just for herself but for other people. she loved this country more than you will ever know. and one of my proudest sad moments was when we went together to a funeral, and i believe that his wife and high officials of the czech government are here today, too. madeleine spoke for the united

states, and we were in the national cathedral. it was freezing cold, and madeleine got up and started morning and paying tribute to her friend in their native tongue. the impact on the audience was electric. she spoke about five languages i think, four then i knew anyway. some would say five, it anyway -- [laughing] the impact was electric, and i kept thinking this is what america is about. that a hard-working immigrant family could come here, and it could come to this. so i ask you, madeleine said

once that we can't just be actors. we have to to be authors of her own history. she was a great author. but will people read, remember follow. this is what she would want me to say today. i had a good life. i was happy. i was so blessed in my family and my work and friends. but freedom and democracy and the rule of law are not permanently enshrined just because we have survived 200 plus years.

now, think about the world you want for your grandchildren, and work for it. we love you, madeleine. we miss you. but i pray to god we never stop hearing you. just sit on our shoulder and nag us to death until we do the right thing. god bless you. thank you.

>> president biden, president

and mrs. obama, president clinton, vice president gore, secretaries of state, members of the cabinet, members of congress, and friends from literally around the world, gathered on this glorious day in this magnificent cathedral to celebrate the extraordinary life and service of madeleine k. albright. two madeleine's beloved family, her brother john and sister kathy, her daughters, and, alice and katie, her sons in law, her six grandchildren, thank you for sharing her with us all of these years. madeleine and i bonded over many things, but in recent years we

bonded over the joy of being grandmothers. nothing made her light up like talking about all of you, or as bill has said, made her more determined to help build a better, freer, safer world. that mission, which animated her entire life, never wavered. in her last memoir, she shared the urgency that she always felt. she wrote, there is no shortage of worthwhile work to be done, and no surplus of seasons in which to do it. that is the wisdom of the woman who learned to early in life that life is fragile, freedom

can't be taken for granted, democracy must be defended. peace must be one, and there is no time to waste doing any of that. it is the resolve of the refugee who fled tyranny twice before the age of 11. and it is the determination of a diplomat who knew war, and worked to end it. i was privileged to know madeleine through many seasons of our lives, and she was always in a hurry to do good. we first met in the 1980s at a benefit for the children's defense fund here in washington.

she introduced herself as a fellow wellesley college graduate. and the seeds of our friendship were sown. we called each other 59 and 69. she was ten ten years aheadn college, but in some ways it might have been a different century altogether. the commencement speaker, when she graduated from wellesley, a former secretary of defense, told the class of 1959 that their main responsibility was to get married and raise interesting children. now, madeleine did that, of course, but instead of resting

on her maternal laurels, or even resting while her newborn twins were in the neonatal intensive care unit, she decided, presciently, it was time to learn russian at the local college. later as a professor herself, she inspired her students to share her spirit of urgency and action. silence may be golden, she told them, but it won't win many arguments. you have to interrupt. this came in handy when bill named her ambassador to the united nations in 1993, and then secretary of state in 1996. now, it's been said that i urged my husband to nominate her as

our first female secretary of state. unlike much that's been said, the story -- unlike much that bill said, this story is true. [laughing] and and i was thrilled when he agreed. when dictators dragged their feet, or ambassadors filibustered, madeleine never hesitated to speak up. and just in case they didn't get the message, she would put on a snail pen to signal her impatience. a dozen times a day she would ask her team, what's next? turning her boundless energy and intellect to yet another crucial

global challenge. she was irrepressible, wickedly funny, very stylish, and always ready for a laugh. she brought the same energy to her friendship as she did to her diplomacy. yes, it's true, she did teach the foreign minister of botswana the mack arena at the u.n. security council meeting, and snuck off early from an official event to do the tango in buenos aires. she was even invited to compete on "dancing with the stars" -- [laughing] -- after she took up the dance floor at chelsea is waiting in the arms i would add of a much younger, very handsome man. she guest starred on tv shows

like gilmore girls and madam secretary. in fact, she and colin powell, of blessed memory, and madeleine and i were on that series which we all three loud and actually watched. as madeleine was always making a point to the scriptwriter, that would not have happened. [laughing] and finally colin said to her, maximum, it's fiction, it's a story. she said i know, but i want him to get it right. she took me on a memorable walking tour of her beloved proud in the midst of a driving rainstorm -- prague, which left us both laughing so hard we hardly notice. and we spent a memorable evening together at the home of president and mrs. hobble, just the four of us having dinner.

i got to listen to them talk about what it meant for their beloved country to be free. she met regularly with a group of former foreign ministers who were known as madeleine and her exes. and, yes, i just want to make it clear, she really could press like press 400 pounds. when that first came out, there were doubters. anyone who knew madeleine didn't, but not everyone had that great pleasure. and so she made it very clear by going to her gym as soon as the article came out to do it again so that people would know, yes, she did.

and she meant toward the next generation -- mentored the next generation of women leaders through vital forces, an organization that she and i helped to start back in the late '90s, and the albright institute at her beloved wellesley college. she relished her annual journey north to wellesley outside of boston each winter to meet with the institutes fellows. they came from all corners of the globe to hear from experts, to think critically about our biggest challenges, and to prepare for central roles in solving them. and very often she would call me when she returned with just such enthusiasm in her voice about the young women that she had just spent time with, and what they were going to do in the

future. she led the american delegation to the historical u.n. conference on women in beijing in 1995, and she urged me to push the envelope on women's rights in the speech i delivered there. she also came with us the next day about 45 minutes outside of beijing to where the non-governmental organizations and activists had been sent, and where we in the midst of a driving rain, another driving rain with me and madeleine, waded through the mud, try to avoid the security from the chinese government who were not happy that madeleine and i were there, in order to speak to those women who would go home across the world to spread the message that women's rights are human rights. she never blinked.

she just pulled herself up to her full height, which i never believed was five feet, but however high and was, she took every inch and every part of her spine was great as a steel bar and just look at the security people and said, get out of our way, we're going to our meeting. she didn't just help other women. she spent her entire life counseling and cajoling, inspiring and lifting up so many of us who are here today. so, the angels better be wearing their best pens and putting on their dancing shoes, because if as madeleine believed, there's a special place in hell for women who don't support other women,

they haven't seen anyone like her yet. [applause] >> and yes, on top of all that, she continued to issue warnings about the dangers posed by authoritarianism and fascism with undeniable moral clarity. until the end she was still in a hurry to do good. as bill said, , during the last phone call two weeks before she died, she talked about the importance of what president biden is doing to rally the world against putin's horrific invasion of ukraine, and the urgent work of defending democracy at home and around the

world. she knew her than most, and she warned us in her book on fascism that yes, it can happen here, and time and courage of the essence. the bible tells us that to everything there is a season, and the type and purpose under heaven, a time to weep and a time to laugh. if madeleine were here with us today she would also remind us this must be a season of action. and yes, once again we must heed the wisdom of her life and the cause of her public service. stand up to dictators and

demagogues, from the battlefields of ukraine to the halls of her own capital. defend democracy at home just as vigorously as we do a broad. live up to the ideals of a country that welcomed an 11-year-old refugee sailing into new york harbor on a ship called ss america, and made her secretary of state. let us honor madeleine's life and legacy by being the indispensable nation she loved and served. and let us live as she did, in a hurry to do the most good we can with every season under heaven.

god speed, 59. god bless you, dear madeleine. we will never ever forget you. [applause]

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>> president biden, president obama, mrs. obama, president clinton, secretary clinton, speaker pelosi, leader mcconnell, mayor bowser, governor hogan, secretary lincoln, kerry, rice, leaders and friends from abroad, members of congress from the diplomatic corps, bishop buddy, all those

who are here and all those watching from afar, we speak for our entire family in thanking you for joining in this ceremony of celebration and remembrance. most of you knew madeleine albright as a colleague in government or business, a teacher or a champion of democracy and human rights. to the world, these were the many hats she wore. but to our family she also wore others, that of devoted sister, aunt, grandma maddie, and for the three of us, the best mom ever. of course even great mom's have quirks. when we were little my sisters and and i often awoke to the odd maternal pride of up and at 'em,

said the molecule. usually -- [laughing] usually mom had risen hours earlier to work on her phd dissertation, six our breakfasts and organize our backpacks. when we were at summer camp she constantly sent us a note about whatever was on her mind, the state of the garden, plumbing issues, or whether we thought it would be okay for her to take a job on capitol hill. her handwriting was distinctive and indecipherable. [laughing] her in all look like double use and so the signature on our library card identified our mother as -- now, , some peoplen

the lingo of our czech grandmother like to play it by the ears. not mama. she loved schedules and knowing the order of her day. she had boundless energy and was always planning for what came next. she described herself as an optimist who worries a lot, and we can all a test to her worries. she was incredibly protective, but no matter how much she took on, no matter how much of the world was on her plate, we always knew that when we needed her, she would take our calls, say here i am, and come quick. of course we worried about her, too, especially after she became u.n. ambassador and militants cursed and threw rocks at her in

the balkans. the resulting t-shirt, i got stone with madeleine albright -- [laughing] -- made us smile, but the reality did not. and from then on we insisted that she tell us in advance where she was going, who she would be with, or otherwise we declared you will be grounded. as we got older mom never tried to steer us in one direction or another. she just urge us to forge ahead to be whatever we wanted to be. for my sisters that meant working globally and locally to help children and communities thrive. for me that meant being a public defender and family lawyer. one night when i was with a

client at the montgomery county jail and had to call my mother to cancel our dinner date, she thought i was in jail -- [laughing] -- and almost had a heart attack. after i became a judge she drove to rockville to, quote, watch me in action. courts she said were essential to a strong democracy. mom's example meant much to me and my sisters. she said that if we, or any other young women, wanted to compete successfully with men, we had to make sure our ideas were heard, and that meant being willing to -- >> interrupt. [laughing] [applause]

>> yes, interrupt. but when you do, make sure you have your thoughts in order and your facts straight. this is a lesson that mom imparted not only to us, but to generations of students at her beloved georgetown. during a teaching career that spanned almost 40 years, she never lost her enthusiasm. often when i asked her what she would be doing over the weekend she responded, getting ready for monday's class. and i replied, don't you already know everything you need to know? she said, there's always more to learn. mom was devoted to her students, and particularly looked forward to the now famous role-play that showed students the realities of decision-making. she taught through to the end of

this past year when her health was already starting to fail. going to the hospital she took with her a large binder of student papers. i can still see her propped up in bed reading and reading. we often get asked -- grading. we often get asked him what kind of mother what she? she was the kind who usually called every day, and sometimes twice. my time was 6:35 p.m. how are the boys? how was work? when is your next trip? are you going running tonight? don't forget it's dark out. she was also the kind of mother that took family celebrations very seriously and would never miss a birthday, a graduation, a wedding or an anniversary, and often called days in advance to start planning. she surprised everyone at my

wedding which happen to be on halloween by outfitting the entire wedding party with elaborate feathered masks. mom sparked an interest in all things international, especially for me. we grew up devouring czech dumplings and singing czech christmas carols. when anne and i were 12 and katie were six she and dad took us on her first trip across the atlantic to visit switzerland and france. she loved speaking french, one of the five languages that she spoke fluently, and urge us to learn as well. for her, this was a question of respect and a lesson about understanding perspectives beyond our own. as i started to work at international finance and development, mom was my best source of guidance. before my trips i often called her with questions about the

countries i was about to visit, which u.n. conventions were relevant, what she knew about the political environment, and, of course, where i could pick up an extra pair of red heels, should i need them. she was always happy to give advice if i asked, though sometimes it came with a worried tone of a mother who knew too much about the security situation in some of the places where i was headed. mom had friends everywhere, and there's hardly a place where i have landed where i've not been asked some version of, is madeleine your mother? how is she? and that is always followed by, we just love her. mom took a particular interest whenever i let her know that i was visiting refugees are working to help girls get a better chance for an education. often her voice would grow a bit

deeper, the conversation slower, and i could tell that she was reminded of being an 11-year-old immigrant girl who survived the blitz, moved around repeatedly, left her homeland, and arrived in the united states in 1948 with her sister, brother and parents seeking refuge and wanting a better and safer future. even though she became one of the world's top diplomats, mom never forgot where she came from and how precarious her circumstances were when she first arrived in the united states. this explains why mom never take anything for granted and was always grateful for everything. she described herself as a grateful american, and took enormous pride in representing the u.s. abroad. now, when i look at my watch, i

know that 6:35 p.m. will never be the same for me, and i will be forever grateful, mom, for everything you have given me. i miss you so much, mom, and everything about you, and will forever. >> i am the youngest, and try my very best to take advantage of that by pushing the rules and boundaries. it didn't work. but mom also had rules for herself. as anne mention and president biden, she would always pick up the phone when we called. but i still remember this one day she didn't.

i was in elementary school, and mom had recently started her professional career with her first job on capitol hill. when i called her office i was told, your mother can't come to the phone right now because she's on the floor with senator muskie. [laughing] i had no clue what that meant. [laughing] as mom tells the story, that night i ran up to her and ask them what were you two doing on the floor? she then aptly explained to her young daughter how the legislative business of our country is conducted on the senate floor.

of course, everyone in our family has a favorite memory and many of mom. permit me to share a few more, and i invite you to imagine them with us. picture mom sitting on the sofa with her feet up, glasses perched on her nose, knitting. knitting everything from little clothes for our dolls to colorful, cozy woolen socks. think of for helping us to maneuver a little red wagon filled with girl scout cookies in the spring, or campaign leaflets in the fall, along the crowded sidewalks and cobbled streets of our neighborhood. with every step, and unspoken lesson in hard work, giving

back, and civics participation. imagine mom swooping down the colorado ski slopes while wrapped in a purple parka and fuzzy hat, or more accurately, snowplowing back and forth so cautiously that we teased her as inventing a whole new sport, uphill skiing. [laughing] but skiing, as in life, she always let us assume ahead and being at our daring. think of her at a commencement ceremony, indeed my own, from that very pulpit decked out in her academic robes urging young people to help one another, take risk, laugh often, and never leave a friend behind.

or in her dark blue suit preparing for her historic confirmation hearing as america's first female secretary of state. and what is she doing in the waiting room? brushing her hair and giving us each a ticky tack. picture mom cheeks of bright pink as president obama class medal of freedom around her neck, after which she shares with us the pride she felt in her own parents and the delight that her grandchildren, her grandees, could witness that day. envision her leading our family along the magical streets of prayed, -- prod, gleefully --

water pixies and trolls and then guiding us through a sorrowful exhibits of kerosene where more than two dozen of her ancestors were imprisoned during the war because of their jewish faith, none survived. with mom, the joys and the tears were never entirely separated. imagine, hands like hers both soft and strong, hands that exchange greetings with members of state, refugees and fight for freedom and hurt congratulate graduates and new citizens. hands that tickle our toes when we were young, took our temperatures when we were sick, held our babies when newly born.

and hands that often joined together in prayer that people everywhere might live in peace. finally, see in your mind's eye i king james bible, dogeared and worn, bound by a window she loved, days after she passed with a handwritten note nearly indecipherable, it read micah 6e lord require of you, but to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your god.

i believe that this is truly how mom tried to live every day of her life and try to teach us to do the same. dying was never on mom's schedule. a whole has open in our hearts that we lack the power to close, but the memory of her love and the resilience of her examples will remain with us, and with many of you until the end of our days. for that, mom, and for so much more, thank you. we love you.

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the lord be with you. >> and also with you. >> let us pray. oh god whose mercies cannot be

known, except our prayers on behalf of of your servant madeleine and grant her entrance into the land of light and joy in the fellowship of your saints, through jesus christ our lord who lives and reigns with you and the holy spirit, one god, now and forever. >> amen. >> most merciful god, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding, deal graciously with madeleine's family and friends in their grief. surround them with your love that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss but have confidence in your goodness and strength to meet the days to come, through jesus christ our lord. amen. please be seated.

>> from what we might do together, by rabbi abraham joshua. the survival of mankind is in the balance. one wave of hatred, callousness or contempt may bring in its wake the distraction of all mankind. vicious deeds are but an aftermath of what is conceived in the hearts and minds of men. speech has power and few men realize that words do not fade. what starts as the sound ends in a deed. the world is too small for anything but mutual care in deep respect. the world is too great for anything but responsibility toward one another.

>> from isaiah chapter 61, the spirit of the law of god is upon me. because the lord has anointed me. god has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners. to proclaim the year of the lords favor and the day of vengeance of our god, , to comft all who mourn, and provide for those who mourn in zion, to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning. the mantle of praise instead of

a faint spirit. they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the lord to display gods glory. the word of the lord. >> thanks be to god. .. >> we are all standing on madeleine's step. i lift up my eyes to the hills and where is my help to come? my help comes from the lord.

the maker of heaven andearth . the lord will not let your foot be moved and the one who watches over you will not fall asleep. behold the one who watches and keeps watch over israel. shall neither slumber nor sleep. the lord, the lord watches over you. the lord is your shade at your side. so that the sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night. the lord shall preserve you from all evil and shall keep you safe. the lord shall watch over your going out and you're coming in. from this time forth forevermore.

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>> ... a reading from the second letter of st.paul two corinthians . we do not lose heart. even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. for this like momentary of switches is preparing us for an internal waste beyond all

measure. we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen for what can be seen as temporary but what cannot be seen is eternal. for we know that if the earthly path we live in is destroyed we have a building from god, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens for in this tent we grow longing to be closed if indeed when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. for while we are still in this tent we groan under our burden because we wish not to be unclosed but to be further closed so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. he who has prepared us for this very thing is god. has given us a spirit as a

guarantee. so we are always confident even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the lord. for we walk by faith, not by sight. yes we do have confidence and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the lord so whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to come to you. the word ofthe lord .

>>. [inaudible] jesus told his disciples do not let your hearts be troubled. believe in god. believe also in me. in my father's house there are many dwelling places. if it were not so would ihave told you that i go to prepare a place for you ? and if i go and prepare a place for you, i will come again and will take you to myself so that where i am, there you may be also. and you know the way to the place where i am going. thomas said to him lord, we do not know where you are going.

how can we know the way? jesus said to him i am the way and the truth and the life. no one comes to the father except through me. the gospel of the lord. >> in the name of god, amen. let us begin by expressing my condolences to the all right family andfor all who were blessed to know madeleine albright as acolleague ,

mentor and friend . thank you for the honor of being part of this celebration of life that means more to me that ican say . the most important words have already been spoken. but we have heard about the one who came into this world as marie, jenna corvel madelinka as she was known as a child. the glory of god is a human being alive. drawing upon every circumstance and experience both wondrous and harsh, madeleine learned to live fully and well as the apostle paul wrote in his own life when she had little and when she had plenty. in times of hardship and in times of joy. i can do all things through him who strengthensme , paul wrote.

madeleine and her writing is more circumspect about her faith in god. though it runs like an undercurrent any every word. i spent the last two weeks reading her memoirs and some of her speeches which felt a bit like a master class in life and leadership. i'd like to share a bit of what i've learned . i was especially struck especially given all that we've heard today about her capacity for self reflection. awareness not only of her strength but of her vulnerabilities. her ability to celebrate accomplishments but also to acknowledge her mistakes. lives are necessarily untidy and uneven, she wrote. it is important however to have some guiding star.

for me she said that star has always been faith in the democratic process each person should be able to go as far as her or his talents will allow. i've also learned about many of you as seen through madeleine's eyes. she was abusive in her praise and admiration, quick to celebrate your gifts and contributions to her family, to the country and beyond. she was generous and respectful with whom those she disagreed sometimes vehemently on matters of policy . she was discreet. and she had the capacity to recognize as brian stevens so powerfully reminds us that each one of us is more than

the worst thing we have ever done or the best thing for that matter. we are all more than how we present ourselves in public or how we are perceived by others. we are more than given role in another persons life. more than our opinions on a certain issue and certainly more than our affiliation in political party faith, tradition, nationality or whatever else might serve to separate us from one another and she clearly honored that complexity and breadth in everyone. never once in her writings did she described herself as a godly person. but as i read i kept thinking about words from the benedictine non- joan chichester who writes the

godly are those who never talk destructively about another person. in anger, in spite, in vengeful this and can be counted on to bring an open heart to closed and clawing world. and she goes on. the holy ones are those who live well with those around them. they are just. they are bright. they are kind. the ecology of humankind is safe with them. the ecology of humankind was safe with madeleine albright. of course, she had strong words for those who in her estimation of user power and

cause others to suffer. most especially for those on the world stage whose actions adversely affected millions and she did all in her power to defeat them. speaking of power, madeleine wrote her political career began when she served on the board of trustees at beaufort school, the early elementary school on the cathedral close . in life one thing leads to another and in washington on personal recommendation does to. she writes of her time on the cathedral's leadership board known as the chapter, during the time when this maze was being expended and that the service when the cornerstone was being laid she learned a lesson from the pulpit. tasting a bit she said ofher childhood dream of becoming a priest .

so the applicable church had yet to ordain women and she claims she learned as much about politics on the cathedral chapter as she did working in campaigns which you know is true . i daresay she also learned as much about faith in the political arena as she did in church because that is where her faith was lived. i'd like to dwell a bitlonger on madeleine's understanding of power . by way of illustration though let me share a moment seared in my memory that some of you may also recall. it was on the day of president obama's second inauguration and we had gathered at st. john's church , lafayette square for a private prayer service for the president, vice president and families and other sundry invited guests.

i don't know if madeleine was there. the preacher thatday was andy stanley from northpoint church in atlanta . and he stood at the pulpit and looked at the president and then he looked at all of us. and he asked what do you do when you know that you're the most powerful person in the room? we've all been that person, he said. parents, presidents. and the question is what do we do when we know? what do we do with that power? the preacher that he was, stanley reminded us of the night jesus of nazareth shared a final meal with his disciplesbefore his arrest and execution . clearly he was the most powerful person in that room and he assumed the role of a servant . washing his disciples feet.

for madeleine albright power was an essential tool for making things happen. she felt called to positions of authority and influence and actively pursue those positions unapologetically and astutely. the chapter in which she describes lobbying behind the scenes to be president clinton's choice for secretary of state ought to be required reading for every woman aspiring to leadership anywhere. sheer brilliance. she relished being the most powerful person in the room and she used her power in service to others and to empower others. we are that over and over againtoday . when she needed to take on the world's biggest bully she did unflinchingly on the exterior no matter how she felt on the inside. and when she needed to hold

back or pit or compromise she did that too. mastering the art of what our presiding bishop describes as standing and kneeling at the same time which is to say being strong in conviction and humble in spirit. and she was also aware as we all are that with increasing positions of power one's mistakes become more costly. and her mistakes grieved her as did her failures. and she was determined to learn from them and carry on. i'd like to close with a nod towards the mystery of the eternal consequences of our lives . acknowledging the ancient human intuition embedded in all faith traditions that there is in fact another realm beyond this life.

now, i'm still on this side of death so i know as much about it as you do. but i believe in it because of what connects us in this life to that other realm. those moments when we feel the power of transcendence and grace period of peace surpassing understanding. ofunconditional love . and of faith at the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen. and the best way to prepare for that other realm is to live fully in this one. to cherish life until the time comes for us to let it go. and to do what we can to make life better for others. so let me leave you with madeleine's closing words from product winter. her exploration of her jewish heritage and business events

that shaped early childhood. as you can imagine she cited many examples of cruelty and betrayal in that heartbreaking book but she writes they are not what i will take with me as i move to life's next chapter. in the world where i choose to live even the coldest winter must yield to agents is spring and the darkest view of human nature eventually find room for shafts of light. and she concludes with this. i spent a lifetime looking for remedies for all manner of life's problems. personal, social, political, global. i believe that we can recognize truth when we see it. just not first and not ever, not without ever romancing in our efforts to know more.

this is because the goal we seek and the good we hope for comes not as a final reward but as the hidden companion in our quest. it's not what we find but the reason we cannot stop looking and striving that tells us why we are here. you don't need me to remind you that we live in perilous times . and i have no doubt that madeleine's final words to us would be ones of encouragement to keep looking for the truth , striving for good and cherishing life in all its wondrous complexity and beauty. to claim our power and use it for good. she would want us all to

follow our north star. what ultimate purpose nights us in times of grace and adversity and calls us back whenever we stray off course. so leave here today in the worlds of charles wesley to do all the good you can buy all the means you can in all the places you can at all the times you can for all the people you can for as long as you can. and as you do the god of compassion will go with you and rest assured that madeleine is cheering you on. amen.

>> amazing grace, how sweet ♪ ♪ the sound that saved a ♪ ♪ wretch like me.♪ ♪ i once was lost but now ♪

♪ i'm found.♪ ♪ was blind, but now i see.♪ ♪ 'twas grace that taught my ♪ ♪ heart to fear and grace my ♪ ♪ fears relieved.♪ ♪ how precious did that ♪ ♪ grace appear.♪

♪ the hour i first believed.♪ ♪ my chains are gone, i've ♪ ♪ been set free.♪

♪ and faith will lead me ♪ ♪ home.♪ ♪ >>.♪ ♪ [singing]

>> ...

>> stand as you are able and in the assurance of eternal life given that let us proclaim our faith and say i believe in god. almighty, creator of heaven and earth. i believe in jesus christ, his only son. he was conceived by the power of the holy spirit and born of thevirgin mary . he suffered under pontius pilate, descended and on the third day he rose again and ascended into heaven andis seated at the right hand of the father . he will come again to judge the living and the dead. i believe in the holy spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, of forgiveness of sins, the

resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. >> let us pray together in the words our savior christ taught us. our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever, amen.

>> for our sister madeleine let us pray to our lord jesus christ who said i am resurrection and i am life. lord, you consoled martha and mary intheir distress . draw near to us and dry the tears of thosewho we . >> hear us lord you wept at the grave of lazarus . comfort us in our sorrow. you raise the dead to life, give to our sister eternal life. you promised paradise to he who repented. bring our sister to the joys ofhaving . our sister was washed in baptism and anointed with the holy spirit.

give her fellowship with all your saints. she was nourished with your body and blood. grant her a place at the table in your heavenly kingdom. comfort us in our sorrow at the death of our sister. let her faith be our consolation and eternal life our hope . >> father of all we pray to you for madeleine and for all those who we love but see no longer . grant to them eternal rest. let like perpetual shine upon them. may her soul and the souls of all the departed through the mercy of god rest in peace.

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>> give rest in christ to your servants with your faith . >> you only are immortal, the

creator and maker of mankind and we are mortal , formed of the earth and to the earth shall we return. for so did you ordain when you created me saying you are dust and to dust you shall return. all of us go down to the dust yet even at the grave we make our song. hallelujah, hallelujah. >> into your hands all merciful savior we commend your servant madeleine . acknowledge we humbly beseech you a sheet of your own full. alamb of your own flock . a center of your own redeeming.

accept into the blessed rest of everlasting peace and into the glorious company of the same in light. now may the lord bless you and keep you. the lord make it safe to shine upon you and be gracious to you. the lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. amen. >> let us go forth in thename of christ .

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>>. [inaudible] senate today expected to work on more of president biden's judicial nominations. at 3:30 eastern lawmakers expected to vote to limit debate on the nomination of sherilyn barnett to be us district judge for the district of california and able to nominate juliette

gordon to be assistant secretary of urban development and head of the federal housingadministration . live now to the floor of the u.s. senate here on c-span2. >> n,